The Hazel Green herald. [volume] (Hazel Green, Wolfe County, Ky.) 1885-19??, 1887-08-26
TEMPERANCE.
THE MOURNING DRESS.

TO Poverty ana Social ostrhcih"s
"Something in mourning, suitable
for warm weather"
have penchant for soft voices,
and this was so sweet and low, with
such an undercurrent of sadness, l
involuntarily turned to look at the
speaker. w
1t was lady, rather tall, slender,
and delicate-looking, but with the un-
mistakable air of the true lady. despite
the somewhat worn garments. A
heavy mourning vail drawn to the side
toward me completely hid the face.
The clerk flung piece of handsome
cambria on the counter, and, with q
jerk, unrolled two OF three yards, then
stood looking out of the window, while
he drummed with his fingers on the
piece of goods, with the rudeness pc
culiar TO some of his class when wait
ing on shabby customer
What is the price of this?" asked
the lady.
Zone dollar" replied the clerk,
CURLY, continuing his tattoo and
stare.
IL wish something less expensive"
said she, while her small black-gloved
hand wandered caressingly among the
satiny folds of the beautiful cambria.
This time the clerk threw down sew
eral pieces of coarse calico, and one Of
black and white striped percale, ag-
gravating his rudencss by drumming
with his knuckles, and blowing through
his lips an air from some frivolous
opera.
The lady looked the goods over,
then asked if they had any thing diff
fercnt.
NO! we don't keep large line of
cheap goods" replied the clerk, super
ciliously.
With a sigh and some hesitation, as
though not suited. she ordered ten
yards of the striped pcrcale. 1t was
measured off and done up. with the
same air of insolcnt Indifference that
had marked the mans conduct
throughout. The lady paid for it,
then turned to leave the store.
"Who is that?" inquired, of the
friend was accompanying on a shop
ping expedition.
'Who; the lady in purple satin?
That is Mrs Brown, the wife of the
great railroad king, and my friend 5
face beamcd with qualification as she
graciously returned the salutation of
the lady in purple satin.
'.No, the lady Just leaving the store"
"Oh! replied my friend, with quite a
/ change of manner That's Mrs. Malon;
I'm quite surprised to see her. l sup
! posed she had left the city,"
Mrs. Malon," / said; 1.-The name
| sounds familiar; have l ever met hcr?'
"Oh. yes; she was quite the rage
/ when you were here five years ago.
| She was n bride then, and some thing
! of a beauty, but was particularly adj
mired for her singing. Her husband.
| Judge Malon, was one of our leading
lawyers. but he got to drinking dread
fully, and they have gradually fallen,
till society lost sight of them long ago. I"
| Twas in Albany visiting the daughter
! of an old friend, who unlike her estim-
able mother, was given entirely to
fashion and ostentatious display. 1t
! was my second visit since her mar
! rage to an elderly merchant prince of
that city. On my first, l met Judge
Malon and his charming bride, and l
now remembered how captivated l
| was by her lovely face and manner,
and her equisite and highly cultivated
voice. had an indistinct recollection
of hearing some one remark, that he
had been pretty wild, but his marriage
which was most romantic love af-
fair-had completely changed him
Alas. for such changes
After our return to my friends home,
] questioned her about the Malons, and
heard the oft told, but none the less
pitiful, tale of the loss of property and
social position, home and friends,
through intemperance: of the gradual
downfall, till the once brilliant and ad-
mircd man was such wreck his most
intimate friends had cast HIM of; of
the suffering of the devoted wife, who
chung to him through it all, hoping
against hope, prefering poverty and
disgrace with him, to luxury and
friends without him. Said my friend,
in conclusion: "For quite while she
tried to keep up by teaching music,
but he got to be such sot, society was
obliged to drop them. The last time /
saw them was ut Mrs. Bishops Easter
dinner he drank till he was in such q
condition he had TO be taken home"
Where did he get his liquor?"
| oSEnd